DANVILLE — Danville’s District 118 launched a new “Meals-to-Go” option on Monday, June 15, for its annual Summer Feeding Program for all County students.
According to a release from the district, an overwhelming number of local residents registered their children for the program and have flocked to distribution sites.
“Meals-to-Go is off to a great start in addressing an acute community need,” said D118 Food Service Director Zetta Piggott.
In prior years, the program’s funding source didn’t allow students a take-out option.
“School personnel were required to serve the food to children at designated locations,’’ D118 nutritionist Chris Fitzsimmons.
However, the new program not only continues to feed students on site, but thanks to a $30,000 USDA rural grant, District 118 is now able to distribute food on a drive-up, take-away basis.
While the Summer Feeding Program continues to include on-site breakfast and lunch at Danville High, 202 E. Fairchild, as well as Meade Park, 200 S. Kansas Ave., and Southwest Elementary, 14794 Catlin Tilton Rd, the new meals-to-go program features two distribution sites.
Every Monday through July 27, the pick-up locations for the boxes of food are at the Fair Oaks housing complex, 901 Fowler Ave. and Vermilion Gardens, 1213 Garden Dr. C.
Every Tuesday through July 28, D118 staff and volunteers from local civic groups will distribute boxes of food in the loading-dock area behind North Ridge Middle School, 1619 N. Jackson St. The staging area is the parking lot for Danville American Legion Post 210.
Each “take-out” box is filled with seven days of food for a student as well as a menu and cooking instructions.
“Too many of our students don’t have access to healthy food during the summer when they’re out of school, so this program helps ensure that our young people are able to keep eating healthy,’’ Piggott said.
Fitzsimmons added, “it’s a proven fact that good nutrition leads to good academics.”
While all students in the Vermilion County between the ages of 1 and 18 are eligible for the Summer Feeding Program, prior registration is required.
“Parents or legal guardians can register their students anytime, but it needs to be in person,” Fitzsimmons said.
Information on where registration takes place is available through the Danville District 118 website at https://www.danville118.org.
During the first day at North Ridge on Tuesday, hundreds of cars were lined up along Jackson Street and filled the Post 210 lot.
“We saw a steady stream of cars all day long. What the school district is doing for our community and our young people is truly a godsend,” said Frank McCullough, a founding member for the Three Kings of Peace.